Mail bundle-tie.



A. W. HUTCHISON 6I H. C. WARNE.

MAIL BUNDLE TIE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. I4. 1914.

Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

CTI

ALFRED W. HUTCHISON AND HENRY C. WARNE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MAIL BUNDLE-TIE.

Application led November 14, 1914.

To @ZZ whom t may concern Be it known that we, Anrnnn lV. HU'rci-r- IsoN and HENRY C. lVAnNn, both citizens ot' the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county ot Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful lmproif'ements in Mail Bundle-Ties, of which the following is a specification.

Uur invention relates to bundle ties, and more particularly to ties for binding and securing a package of mail matter, although, after an understanding of our invention is had, it will be obvious the device may be well adapted for other purposes.

rhe principal object otl our invention is the provision ot' a tie the plate of which is so constructed that it is adapted to receive the cord coming up over the package from any side thereof and to direct said cord to another side adjacent thereto. Another 0bject of our invention the provision in a bundle tie of means whereby the cord or tape is adapted to be simultaneously engaged by at least two tying or retaining members arranged in close proximity to each other. Still another object of our invention is to so construct the tie-plate that one of the tying or retaining members will be capable of c0- operating with another tying or retaining member for the purpose of locking the former and avoiding slippage of the tape or cord therethrough. Further objects of our invention are the provision of a bundle tie that is easy to manipulate, effective in its operation, will not slip when fastened, and which is economical to manufacture so that it may be sold for a nominal sum.

The above objects and others we prefer to accomplish by the means and in the manner hereinafter fully described and as more particularly pointed out in the claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout the various iigures.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bundle of envelops bound together and secured by our improved tie.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal side or edge view ot the tie plate removed from the bundle and having the cord or tape detached.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a tie plate of a slightly modified construction, and shown removed from the package or bundle.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8. 1918.

serial No. 372,231.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that our bundle tie comprises a substantially rectangular shaped flat body member or plate 5, to which is attached preferably by tying, a ileXible cord or tape 6 of any suitable length and of any desired construction. In Fig. 1 the cord or tape is shown as secured to one ot the corners of the plate, but it is quite obvious that it may be secured to any convenient part ot the plate, as for example at the center or at any edge. Three ot the corners of the plate 5 are preferably turned back to form hooks 7, 8 and 9 the former ot' which is disposed opposite the corner at which the cord or tape is secured to the plate, while the latter are disposed in parallel relation thereto and parallel to each other at the opposite end of the plate. Ve nd it expedient to form a substantially V-shaped slit in the longitudinal edge of the plate adjacent the corners and bend back the metal parallel to the body portion so as to leave a slight space between the under tace of the hook and the upper tace of the body for the tree passage of the cord or tape. These hooks as seen in Fig. 1, are for the purpose of receiving the cord 6 from any direction that it may be pulled around the bundle.

About midway the length oi' the longitudinal edges of the plate are secured the clamping members 10-10, that correspond in shape and are disposed parallel to each other and to the adjacent longitudinal edges of the plate. Each of these clamping members preferably comprises an elongated strip of relatively narrow spring metal that is secured to the plate 5 by rivets 11 or in any other suitable manner. A short distance on each side of the rivets, these strips are deflected slightly upwardly in opposite directions to provide spring clamps 12, 12, and are then turned back upon themselves to provide secondary spring clamps 13, 13, that are adapted to coperate with said first mentioned members and are carried thereby. For the purpose of protecting persons handling the packages and avoid snaring or cutting the cord or tape 6 in tying the same we prefer to turn back the ends of the metal strip as shown at 14.

From the above it will be observed the plate 5 is preferably placed longitudinally upon the package or bundleit is desired to tie and the cord wrapped once around the latter where it is passed under one of the hooks 8 or 9 at the opposite end of the plate. rlhe cord is then passed at right angles to itself and transversely around the bundle so that it will be in a position to engage the other of the hooks, and thence longitudinally vacross the plate to hook 7. 'From this latter hook 7 the cord is again passed transversely7 around the bundle one or more times and its end forced under one or more of the adjacent spring clamps 12 upon either edge of the plate, and then under one or more of the spring clamps 13 which latter will securely clamp the first part of the cord and prevent its slipping.

In Fig. 3 we Vhave illustrated a slightly modified construction of our invention wherein the plate 15 has the cord or tape 16 secured to one end of a hook 17, similar to hook 7 shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, is pivoted adjacent the end of the cord. The opposite end of this plate is pivoted with spring clamping members 18, 18 that comprise elongated strips formed integral with the end of the plate and are bent back upon the latter as shown. As in the preferred form the ends of these spring members are bent or pressed back upon itself as indicated at 19 to form a protecting edge therefor.

Wvhile we have illustrated and described certain specilic constructions of our novel bundle tie, it will of course be obvious to others skilled in the art to which it pertains, that numerousmodifications or renements thereof are possible without materially departing from the spirit of our present invention. As, for example, the plate maybe cut off or sheared as indicated by the dotted line 20 in Fig. 8 so as to provide converging end edge.V We therefore desire it understood that all such obvious changes are contemplated within the scope of our invention as expressed in the following claim.

lVhat we claim as new is,- Y

A bundle tie comprising a rectangular shaped plate having an aperture adjacent one corner thereof, a pair of oppositely arranged lateral members upon the longitudinal edges of said plate consisting of lugs formed by slitting the plate transversely adjacent its corners. and bending back the metal between the ends -and said slits, a similarly formed lateral member at the end of said plate adjacent said aperture, said members forming hooks adapted to receive portions of a'eXible element secured in said aperture and passed around the bundle to be tied, and a plurality of spring clamping members independent of said hooks and each formed of a strip of spring metal secured longitudinally upon said plate, the opposite end portions of said spring strips bent substantially S-shaped to provide 0ppositcly facing spring arms at each end of each member whereby the end of said flexible element is adapted to be removably retained against displacement.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our names in the presence 0f two witnesses.

ALFRED W. HUTCHISON. HENRY C. WARNE. lVitnesses: Y

E. K. LUNDY, Jr., VH. HAROLD EICHELMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for Yve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

